1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to padded cushions, or crotch pieces, for lower limb emergency traction splints.
2. Prior Art
The human pelvis is strong and massively constructed. It is the foundation for the torso and support for lower limb attachment and locomotion. It is shaped so that its ischial tuberosity forms a platform for sitting in an upright position.
The tuberosity is medial to the shaft of the femur and is located half the distance between the midline symphysis pubis and the femoral shaft. In supine attitude, the shaft of the human femur lies on substantially the same horizontal plane as the ischial tuberosity. This anatomical characteristic has been utilized to advantage in various prior art emergency traction splints.
The classical Thomas Full Ring Splint has been available since 1875. It is the most correct splint anatomically and physiologically, providing countertraction not only on the ischial tuberosity but also on the ischial ramus, the pubic ramus and/or the mid line symphysis pubis. Countertraction is never lost because when the ring is angled 55 degrees to the shaft of the femur the ring forms a saddle for the perineum.
The Thomas Full Ring Splint, however, is not without disadvantages. The patient's leg must be lifted and, at considerable discomfort to the patient, threaded onto the ring in order to apply the splint. Many sizes of splint are needed to cover all sizes of patients. Application time is long; and, once splinted, the patient is immobilized in an outsized, cumbersome and awkward device. Further, the Thomas Full Ring Splint does not afford quantifiable dynamic traction. In summary, it was never designed for emergency use.
In an endeavor to overcome the drawbacks of the Thomas device, particularly for emergency applications, a number of traction splints have been developed, both of the Ring Splint and the Ischial Bar Splint categories.
Among the Ring Splint group is the SAGER.RTM. Emergency Traction Splint, based on U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,227, granted to Joseph A. Sager on Sept. 4, 1973. The SAGER.RTM. Splint is available through Minto Research & Development, Inc. 3676 Charlanne Drive, Redding, Calif. 96002, and affords several of the advantages of the Thomas Full Ring Splint while obviating many of the disadvantages of the Thomas device. It also provides quantifiable dynamic traction.
The padded cushion, or crotch piece, disclosed in the Sager patent, is rectangular in transverse section and is curved in two planes so that the inner surface of curvature in one plane conforms generally to the inside surface of the adjacent thigh while the inner surface of curvature in the other plane curves generally upward to conform to the curvature of the perineum. When applying the splint, the crotch piece is pushed up into the crotch until it fits snugly against the tuberosity of the ischium and the perineum.
Padded cushions, or crotch pieces, are also disclosed in Borschneck Pat. No. 4,350,153, granted Sept. 21, 1982, for Splint For Use With A Human Leg; and Borschneck U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,971, granted Sept. 2, 1986, for Emergency Leg Splint.
Although the padded cushions shown in the above-recited Sager and Borschneck patents have performed in an anatomically and physiologically correct manner, increased patient comfort and favorable response is obtained where the same points of countertraction can be used as in the Thomas Full Ring Splint, namely, the ischial tuberosity, the ischial and pubic ramus and symphysis pubis.
The present splint cushion provides these advantages.